Unexpected Circumstances
by SilentPatronus
Summary: Zax fic set after their first kiss. Is there something between them or is this just a bit of fun. But are both willing to play the game or will one refuse? How would the hospital react to the idea of Max and Zoe?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first Casualty fanfic. After last week's kiss between Zoe and Max I've really liked the idea of these two becoming something and they in some strange way remind me of Janny. This is just something that I've come up with because I've wanted to write about them for a while. Sorry if it's a little out of character this is my first attempt at writing for these two.**

_Zoe walked out of the pub after max with the receipt in her hand, and a confused expression etched on her face. "Max, where are you going?"_

_He turned around and glanced down at the receipt in her hand. Busted. He didn't really notice it though; his reply was calm and casual as was his stance, hands in pocket and his face relaxed. "Home."_

_Zoe by this point had stopped walking. "Alone?" Her tone was surprised, and she began to walk towards him. She'd always pictured him as the one-nightstand type, bringing a new girl home each night. His failure to chat up her she assumed was no big loss; he'd be off to another nightclub to pick up another woman so this shocked her that it wasn't the case._

_Max, seizing the opportunity decided to wind her up a little bit. Stating the obvious but twisting it into his cheeky way. She'd come out of the pub after him for God's sake, this meant something. "Yeah, you see, you are a doctor and I am a porter, the gap is as gaping as the age." He had a cheeky little grin as he said it, knowing full well that he was pushing his boundaries. _

_Zoe put her finger to his lips and returned his grin. "Shut up" she said in her thick northern accent. She silenced him immediately. He fingers hovered over his lips for a second and he looked her up and down with a slight smile on his face. Her words slipped from her mouth slowly and there was an element of sexual tension in the air. _

_Zoe looked down at the receipt in her hand before beginning again, "I haven't been sent flowers since last… forever. They're gorgeous, thank you." She was sincere. Smiling. Happy. For any onlooker this would have been shocking. First off, Zoe hadn't seemed this happy, well, since Nick. Secondly, this was Zoe and Max. The whole hospital had just got over the idea of Jac and Jonny and that wasn't until it was over so if anyone were to see this they would think they'd gone mad. _

_For a lingering moment it looked like nothing was going to happen, but this was Zoe and she liked to embrace her wild side. Both smiling for a second, and Max for the first time seemingly unsure of what to do, waited. It was Zoe who made the first move; she leaned in and kissed him. It only lasted a couple of seconds but the smile etched upon both faces demonstrated the fact that neither regretted it. Max once again nervously looked down. The cheeky chappy 'I can get any woman' man, for the first time felt nervous and a little vulnerable – but he'd never admit it._

_After they broke apart, Max looked down again, "well then, I guess they were worth it." Zoe smiled, and they both turned to walk away and without looking back Max spoke loudly to her, "I stole them from a grave yard by the way." Zoe laughed. It was infectious._

* * *

Zoe walked up to the pub door with a smile on her face. She stopped just outside, taking a deep breath she calmed herself down and walked in. She was greeted with confused expressions from the others. "Max forgot something." She clarified. Zoe sat down in the empty seat with her G & T placed in front of her. She was a regular here, as bad as it sounded, they all were, so the staff were familiar with her and must have just carried it over for her. She was grateful for this.

She tried her best to engage in conversation for the next five minutes but she just wasn't interested. Her mind kept wandering back to _that _kiss and _those _flowers. It wasn't going unnoticed by her colleagues. Robyn had asked her several times whether she was alright, and even Charlie who'd only just entered noticed she was a little peaky. Tess could tell but said nothing; her eyes did the asking with which Zoe replied with a nod.

Zoe whipped out her phone, unable to take this anymore and scrolled down her contact list.. Down to M. But she still couldn't find what she was looking for. Then she remembered. Walker. She scrolled down further… Bingo.

_I need to get out of here._

She hovered her phone over the send button for a few seconds. Her brain was umming and arring over whether it was the right course. Of course it wasn't but this was Zoe and she didn't give a damn. She sent it anyway and bit her lip as she held her phone in her hand and setting it onto the table. She wanted to wait for her reply. She wasn't going to shove it into her pocket and forget about it, although the latter was highly doubtful anyway.

"So go on then, who is he?" Robyn bravely asked her boss after a few minutes of looks and whispers between the rest of the staff which had clearly gone unnoticed by Zoe.

"What?" Zoe replied as she looked up seemingly from her daydream but in reality she'd just been flipping her phone around in her hand waiting for it to buzz or light up.

"You've not stopped staring at that phone and you've been really quiet there's got to be one reason for that." She smiled and everyone looked on interested.

"That's none of your business."

"So there is someone." Charlie clarified rather suspiciously. Zoe just shook her head.

Almost on cue her phone buzzed and she glanced at it quickly.

_Your car 2 minutes_

"It's not what you think, I've just had a tough day that's all." She gulped down the rest of her drink, which Fletch complained he paid for, and therefore she owed him. "Look guys I'm tired, I'm gonna call it a night."

Everyone nodded goodbye and mumbled the words and Zoe stumbled out. She had a great relationship with her staff, they respected her as their boss during working ours but outside this she was nothing short of their friend, someone they could rely on. It wasn't unusual for her to call it a night in recent months. Since had left she'd found it increasingly tough and whilst Ash was a massive help her wild ways were being hindered by her long hours and tough schedule.

She walked over to her car and from a distance she could see a man leaning against it. Very subtle. If anyone walked by they would notice that Max was leaning against her car. The porter. It's not that everyone knew what her car looked like, more that it was parked in _her _parking space.

Zoe grabbed her keys from her bag and used the electronic lock to unlock the car doors and hoped that Max would take the hint. He didn't. Either he wasn't aware that she'd unlocked the door as his eyes had not left, or he purposefully ignored her.

As she grew closer, perhaps 15 metres or so she could see he had his hands in his pockets and a cheeky grin planted on your face. She wanted to ask him how he was still around but probably figured that he'd left something inside the building so pushed that thought to the back of her mind.

"So where are we going?" he asked her cheekily.

She smiled at him. "Just get into the car"

He did as he was told and stumbled into the passenger seat. "Mine or yours?" He asked her seriously. She gave him a look which he returned with a feign of innocence. Pretending he didn't understand why she was giving him a look. Oh he was good. She thought for a second that perhaps this wasn't a good idea, he wasn't making it easy for her and she just wanted easy right now but it was too late.

"You live with Robyn and Lofty." She commented as if stating the obvious. In reality she was saying that he was stupid for even asking the question. There was no way she was going to go back to his.

"So?" he asked her. But she just gave him the look. "Alright, alright, I get the picture. Yours it is."

"What makes you think I just let men into my flat?" He looked at her with a cheeky grin. So they were definitely going somewhere tonight. Together.

"Where then?" He was confused now but he trusted her. He kind of had to. She was his boss; he could so easily get himself fired if he wasn't careful. But he'd made it this far and survived and he wasn't likely to change his ways. Not for her benefit, in fact she made him even more himself. Even more the cheeky chap his sister always presented him to be. Zoe was difficult and he liked difficult. It was a challenge. A big game; but two can play at that.

"Oh," she commented with a grin. She fastened up her seatbelt and began to drive away. "You'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

**I assure you there is a very logical reason for this chapter and sorry that it isn't particularly interesting. It's given me a better chance to realise where things are going to go with this!**

* * *

Zoe woke up the next morning in an unknown bed with a man lying next to her soundly sleeping. Max. She glanced round the room noticing the amount of empty alcohol bottles that existed and it was then she realised she had a splitting headache. She carefully raised her hands to her head as if to check her temperature and sighed when she realised that she was boiling up. She couldn't skive work, not today. Not given the situation. She didn't trust Max to keep schtum, she knew him and things often happened to 'just slip out'. This would not be one of those things.

Careful not to wake him she very slightly brought the covers away from her, enough to cover her if he woke but not too much that she couldn't get changed. She glanced back at the still silent Max to check that he was still sleeping and sure enough he was. She breathed out slowly trying her best to control her breath for any sudden movement and he could wake. She had no idea whether he was a heavy sleeper or not.

The battle to get changed was rather interesting but she managed it. Once done, she swung her legs round and reached onto the floor, beginning her attempt to get on her high heels. Bending down made her head pound and she desperately needed some water, bringing her total number of reasons to escape the hotel to twelve. Yes twelve. She had really thought this through. She grabbed her bag, and her coat, took one last look back at Max and walked towards the door. She paused before opening it trying to decide whether to do it quickly and rush out knowing that Max would probably wake up or slowly but doing her upmost best to try and be as quiet as possible. She chose the latter.

Unfortunately for her she didn't realise that there was a draft in the hotel room from the window being left open and as soon as she let go of the door it slammed shut behind her. This was sure to wake Max up and it did.

* * *

Back in the room Max stirred slowly, his head sore but nowhere near as bad as Zoe's – not that he'd know. He glanced towards the door that he'd heard slam shut and the empty bed and smiled. He could have predicted this would happen but no matter. He remembered the events of last night slowly as they started coming back to him.

_"We're going in here?" He glanced towards Zoe as she parked up the car outside the Holby Premier In. She gave him a look as if to suggest that he was some sort of idiot. "I can't afford this sort of stuff. I only have £3 on me." He reminded her. _

_"Well luckily I can."_

So that's how they ended up inside a hotel room. But this didn't explain the empty bottles. He shook his head trying to remember but he couldn't. 'Oh well,' he thought. 'Doesn't matter.' He'd still managed to succeed in something he'd been trying to do since the day he met her. Looking at the alarm clock that was helpfully placed on the bedside table he realised he had another two hours until his shift started and decided to set it for seven giving him half an hour to get up dressed, food down him and into hospital. Perfect he thought. Although he'd seemed to forget that Zoe had already left with the car that had got him there.

He glanced at his phone quickly. Seven missed calls, five FaceTimes and sixteen text messages. 'Yeah, yeah' he thought to himself, 'they can wait'. He knew it was just Robyn worrying about him and why he hadn't come home. He still couldn't understand why she bothered getting worried; it wasn't like this not coming home thing was new. Each time she'd get worried and each time he'd be safe and fine.

He shoved his head into the pillow and pulled the duvet covers over his head and scrunched himself into them like a little child. Heaven.

If only Zoe was thinking the same thing. After leaving the hotel she'd driven back to her flat to clean herself up. She currently stunk of alcohol and Max's aftershave, which she had to admit, smelt good but was rather strong and neither would do.

Breakfast proved a struggle as the consultant had to force feed herself. She couldn't take any paracetamol until she had food down her and she was feeling rather groggy, which made it all difficult. By the time she'd fed, showered and got herself into work-mode it was time to leave. She grabbed her coat but had second thoughts when she realised that it also smelt of Max. She held it for a few minutes in her arms smelling it until realising what she was doing and quickly shoved it into her laundry pile.

The journey to work was as it was in the good old days when she used to display her wild side on more than just a rare occasion. Sometimes even turning up at the ED drunk, these weren't the times she really wanted to remember right now. Things had changed since then. It wasn't until she was pulling into the Emergency Department, into her usual spot that she realised that Max had been left at the hotel without a mode of transport to the hospital. Thinking about it, it was actually quite funny, although she'd never tell him this.

Locking into the car and walking into the ED she greeted Connie on the way. Oh Connie, that woman, the 'Queen of Holby' she'd been known as previously and had Zoe known better she'd have thought she was out to get her job. The thing was, Zoe hadn't known better and that was exactly what Connie was trying to achieve.

"Good night was it?" Connie asked her curiously as she saw Zoe's tired looking face. Zoe knew better than to respond to this, but a silent response to Connie was just as good as admitting it. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Upon entering the ED reception Zoe was greeted by Charlie's concerned face.

"Ooh dear," he muttered silently to Louise and Noel who were working out front as usual. They shared his glance all agreeing that she looked dreadful.

Wanting to change the subject Louise addressed Connie and Zoe together, "have either of you two seen Max? He should have been here an hour ago."

"I'm gonna kill that man." Zoe said a little too loudly as the other looked at him oddly. "This isn't the first time. Tell him I want to see him in my office when he arrives." She said sternly. Noel and Louise just nodded in response.

Meanwhile Charlie was still giving her 'the look'.

"Go on then, just say it." Zoe told him half-heartedly. She knew he was going to give him a lecture about the role of alcohol.

"Should you be in work today? You were looking a little peaky last night and you even left early." He pointed out.

"Thanks for letting me know but I think I can be my own judge." She commented back, not rudely, but not kindly either. Charlie didn't reply but he wasn't convinced either. Zoe had completely forgotten that everyone last night had assumed she was ill and good job that was otherwise they'd have known she'd been drinking.

Zoe felt a wave of nausea as she proceeded to move forward and stumbled a little. A hand came behind her to hold her steady and she shrugged it off. "I told you I'm fine." She said.

"And I'm a porter it's my job to transport the ill around the hospital." Max's voice ran through her brain. She closed her eyes and sighed. This was not what she needed right now.

"Maybe you should be doing your job then." She commented. Max was about to walk off to see what was needed to be done before Zoe stopped him. "Before you do that, my office." He smiled cheekily. Zoe was not laughing. "Now."


	3. Chapter 3

**This is the next chapter. I said on Twitter that I had a funny idea, and I promise it's coming up in the next chapter so watch this space. **

* * *

Zoe walked into her office with an authoritative march. She placed her bag down on her desk and took her coat off and put it on the back of her chair. Max followed shortly after. He walked in without knocking and was seemingly already walking into her private areas without permission. This wasn't strictly speaking true because it was only moments earlier that Zoe had ordered Max into her office although he didn't seem to take it seriously. He had a cheeky grin etched on his face and was standing with one had over the other casually in front of his body.

It soon became clear that he had no intention of shutting the door and Zoe couldn't be bothered to tell him. It would give her an excuse to be standing when speaking to him because it made her feel more authoritative than sitting at her desk for some reason. She walked round and shut the door making passers by jump a little. She'd still not gotten used to controlling that door and it was a damn nuisance for her.

"Who knows?" She asked him sternly. The truth was she didn't trust him. She didn't know why she'd got herself involved and she wasn't sure why she didn't regret it right now her main concern was keeping this quiet.

"Give me a chance, I've just come in." He joked and smiled at her until he recognised that same stern face she pulled and his smile relaxed into an unrecognisable shape. She wasn't quite sure what he was trying to tell her by his facial expression.

She didn't quite believe it was a joke, or maybe she did, she wasn't sure. But it was better to be on the safe side. "Oh no you don't." She laid down the rules. "No one is to know" she spoke normally before whispering, just in case "about this." She pointed between them making it clear that she was on about last night.

"Don't deny you had fun."

"Oh I'm not." He was slightly taken aback with the comment. He liked this. Unpredictable. Increased the stakes, increased the challenge. It caused him to smirk.

"So you did have fun?" Zoe ignored his comment and pretended she didn't hear and walked back round to her desk and sat down and began to get on with her work. This was the cue for Max to leave. He nodded slightly knowing this was how it's going to be. They'd keep quiet around work and he'd keep pushing her until she cracks.

He opened the door to leave and turned back. "So a drink after work then?"

Zoe smiled and laughed a little. "Just go away."

So that was a yes then. Satisfied, he shut the door behind him pausing outside and smiling before continuing on. He went to the front of reception to Louise and Noel to find what kind of patient will need his help but first came a little quizzing.

"You're looking pleased with yourself." Louise commented.

"Yes well Zoe's booked me onto that first aid course… finally." He said hesitantly.

"I figured that you'd got yourself a date." Noel commented

"Yes that would have been a better answer." Max muttered under his breath so that no one could hear him.

* * *

"Max, this patient needs taking to a cubical." Louise asked him for about the fiftieth time for the day. His job was rather tedious but he got to meet a lot of interesting people.

"You're a handsome lad if ever I saw one." The patient said to him. She was blonde, mid-twenties and rather pretty. She'd been brought in with suspected appendicitis but she'd have to be brought through to a cubical for the test to show what they pretty much could guess.

"Well thank-you, you know they don't just let anyone do this job you know." He bent down to her so she could hear him as he wheeled her through.

Their conversation lasted a couple more minutes as he helped her onto the bed in a spare cubical. Fletch walked in to introduce himself and take obs but the woman refused to let him unless Max stayed.

"I do have other patients to wheel around." He protested lightly but the woman was so adamant that Fletch had to literally beg Max to stay. Fletch began the tests and Zoe walked by at perfect timing.

"Zoe, woman brought in, Amanda Rowlings, claims that she called her GP, suspected appendicitis but I've taken a look and her tummy feels tender."

Zoe walked over and asked Fletch to move out the way, she applied sanitiser on her hand, warned the patient that this may be a little cold and felt her tummy. The patient screamed out in pain after a couple of seconds and Zoe relieved her hands and looked on concerned and asked Fletch for the necessary tests.

It wasn't until this point that Zoe noticed Max's presence and looked at him confused, and then back at Fletch. "Seems Max has got himself an admirer," Fletch claimed and Max looked at Zoe with a cheesy grin. Fletch left in search of the right equipment for the tests that needed to be carried out leaving Zoe, the patient and Max.

"Well I think I can take it from here, Max get back to whatever it is you're supposed to be doing." Zoe told him and he nodded but the patient refused.

"If you don't mind I'd like him to stay."

Zoe wasn't having any of this. "I can't compromise any of my staff members, sorry, Max please." She told him.

He walked by and smugly commented, "Knew you'd get jealous." Zoe looked on as he walked away horrified.

"I'm so sorry, if I'd known I'd never asked him to stay." The patient pleaded with her.

"Know what?" Zoe looked at her confused.

"About you and him."

Zoe laughed. "We're not together."

"No?" The patient asked. Zoe ignored this and proceeded to move onto the medial procedure.

It was not long until the shift finished for Zoe and Max and he was waiting up front smoking his cigarette. They'd not made plans as such but he knew that she'd all but agreed to a drink this evening. He was enjoying the last puff when he felt a tug on his coat.

"Come on, I could kill for a drink." Zoe's voice rang in his ears. He smirked and willingly followed her.

Tonight was going to be eventful but they weren't to know it yet.


	4. Chapter 4

**So this is the next chapter. I'm loving the spoilers for this week's Casualty it looks like it's going to be a good one Zax wise. I still maintain my view that it's like Jac and Jonny in Holby in the fact that this is all a bit of fun to them both... for now. Will it develop into something more eventually? ;)**

* * *

It was 10pm and their shift had finished a couple of hours ago; Zoe and Max were still in the pub. Everyone else had left a couple of minutes ago with it being a work night but Zoe had a day off the next day and Max decided to keep her company. No one thought much of it. Why should they? Zoe might have been their boss but she was pretty much friends with everyone on the ward… everyone that is, expect Connie. But that was for another day.

By this point they'd had several to drink and Zoe was close to drunk and Max only tipsy. He'd just returned just returned from getting them both another drink and was wary of how drunk Zoe was getting but she was instant that it was his round.

"So," he began. "I was thinking that if we are keeping _this," _he indicated with his hands that he was referring to the pair of them, "quiet then you need to make more of an effort."

"What?" Zoe questioned him.

"Well avoiding me isn't exactly going to work." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"I wasn't avoiding you. I was being professional."

Max laughed. For some reason he found this hilarious. Zoe just didn't understand.

"What's funny?"

"You. You're so paranoid that people will suspect something that you try your best to avoid me and then people do start to suspect something." He grinned at her cheekily.

"Who suspected something?" Max laughed at her reaction as she spoke quickly. "This is not funny just tell me." He looked up at her in the eyes, taking a moment to amuse himself.

"You know," he said through a giggle, "that patient."

Zoe blew a sigh of relief before frowning at Max. He had her right where he wanted her and he managed to wind her up. After a moment Zoe added, "I am so not paranoid."

Max gave her a knowing look. "Could have fooled me." He said slowly.

"Go on then, tell me how I should have acted."

"Well on a daily basis you flirt with me…" he began.

"I so do not." Zoe butted in but they both knew this was a lie and this was evident in her voice. Although she put on an exaggeration which was probably the alcohol talking.

"Well you know what, I'm going to be normal." Zoe said as she took one last swig of her drink. As she did so she got up from her chair, and then placed the bottle on the table. Max looked up at her confused but she offered no explanation and decided to leave.

Max got up after her. "Where are you going?"

"You'll see." She said with a drunken laughter. She'd left her coat behind and Max used that as his excuse to follow her out the door.

As Zoe left her mind was a bit of a blur, she knew she'd had too much to drink but couldn't resist a little bit of fun. She knew that she had to flirt with Max because if she changed it now then it would look like she was obviously avoiding him, but by flirting with just him could make him stand out. It was about getting a balance and Zoe, on a little drunken night was going to have fun with this.

Upon leaving Albies she bumped into Big Mac and Ethan, Max was following on behind keeping enough distance to look like they weren't leaving together.

"Nice evening isn't it." Big Mac said to her in his thick Welsh accent. Zoe giggled a little and Ethan and Big Mac looked relatively confused.

Zoe turned to Big Mac and grabbed hold of one of his arms, "have you been working out?" she asked him. Big Mac looked a little shellshocked but managed to recover himself rather quickly.

"Well, I.. er… as a matter of fact yes I have, thank-you for noticing." He beamed at her and grinned towards Ethan.

Zoe didn't say goodbye, she half drunkenly walked on singing a little song to herself but no one could quite gather what it was.

Ethan and Big Mac looked at each other confused, "did Dr Hanna… just flirt with you?" Ethan asked Big Mac

"No I get the feeling she's had a little too much to drink." Big Mac replied rather perplexed. "She's a wild one our Zoe."

"Dr Hanna… wild?" Ethan asked confused. But before he could get further with any of his questioning Max walked up to them and questioned them as to whether they saw the direction in which Zoe went because she'd left her coat at the pub and they directed him towards the ED.

His walk turned into a little job as tried to catch up with her. He'd been so focused on trying to listen in on what she'd said he had forgotten to pay attention as to where she was going and got a pretty good idea as to what she was going to do. Unfortunately for him it was a bit late. He walked into the ED and was shocked as to what he saw.

"Noel, how do you like your women?" Noel stood there a little stunned. "It's a fair question." She commented again. "You're not gay are you? Because there's nothing wrong with you being gay."

"Dr Hanna are you drunk?" Louise asked her confused.

"No I just wanted to tell Noel something." And when she didn't reply they all gave her bemused looks. "What I really, really, really, wanted to say was you have nice hair. I've always wanted to touch it."

"Be my guest." Noel liked this side to Zoe and he earned himself a glare from Louise who wasn't impressed that he was encouraging Zoe and he bit his lip realising that he probably shouldn't have encouraged his boss. If she was to remember tomorrow he could have been in trouble.

At this point Max was still watching on and was rather amused, he thought about getting his phone out and videoing it but it wouldn't half as funny on video. But the emergence of Charlie looked like it was going to spoil all the fun.

"Oh Charlie you're just really nice. You know? You're just a lovely guy. Shame you're old really." Zoe realised what she said. "Oopsie." She corrected herself and as Charlie walked towards here he wafted his hand in front of his face, as he could smell the alcohol seeping from her every pour. It was just disgusting.

"How much have you had to drink?" He asked her disgusted.

"Not enough," she replied with a grin."

He shook his head and ordered everyone back to work. He informed Zoe that she should go home but as she tried to leave he refused to let her go in this state. He was about to take her through to the staffroom when Max decided now would be a good time to interject.

"Charlie I know you're busy I'll sort her out don't worry."

"Thanks Max but shouldn't you be getting back to work?" He asked him.

"Oh no, I'm not on shift." He clarified. Big mistake – this could have been a massive giveaway.

"So what are you doing here?" Charlie asked him.

He held up Zoe's jacket explaining that she'd left it behind at the pub and he had to chase after her to give it back, that and also he didn't think she was in a fit state to be wandering around alone at night even if she was in a familiar place.

"So you're responsible for this?" Charlie asked Max as he looked towards Zoe.

"I never thought of it that way." Max shrugged and Charlie didn't look amused.

"The others should have known better." Charlie whispered but not quietly enough.

"The others?" Max questioned. He wasn't sure who he was on about and then realised that Charlie had seen them all go off to the pub earlier on and must have assumed that the others had stayed on. "Oh yes, the others." Max saved before Charlie became suspicious.

Once Charlie was satisfied that Max was sober enough to sort out Zoe he left to return to his duties. Max sat Zoe down in the staffroom and got her a drink of water.

"So that's you being normal is it?" He grinned.

"I get it. Just don't" she managed to utter out without being sick. She felt really bad and after sitting down and having a drink of water realised that her behaviour could have been handled better. Max was right she was somehow going to have to try and act normal. The problem was now she was aware of this new situation she'd forgotten how she used to act.


	5. Chapter 5

**So this might not seen so realistic and it seems rather sudden but it's necessary for the story line and it will hopefully fit into place later on. Updates may not be as quick as they were originally because I've got exams coming up so it's all revision at the minute! Sorry that this is a cliffhanger and yes I really did have to bring up the NHS meetings ;D Enjoy**

* * *

Zoe woke up with a splitting headache. The events of the night before came crashing down. This was two nights in a row she'd gotten drunk and if the trend continued tonight she'd probably eat someone alive. Did she really flirt with Big Mac? She put her hand to her mouth. What if he got the wrong impression and didn't realise she was drunk? Of course she was drunk. She couldn't even walk straight… probably. She couldn't really remember walking.

Somewhere along the line Max was there in the staffroom with her. That bit was a little hazy. It would probably come back later. Thank God today was her day off or she would never have survived the ED. Max would have been down her back (not literally) over her behaviour and Noel will probably try to avoid her, Big Mac wouldn't know what to say and blush.

Even on her day of she was forced to think about work. She could never catch a break around here. She decided to make the most of it and she slipped into the kitchen, grabbed a tablet from the cupboard, poured herself some water and went back to bed. She didn't care whether it was eight, nine, ten or twelve, it was her day off and she was going to make the most of it by sleeping. She was a bloody good doctor and worked really hard at her job and so what if she liked to have the occasional drink? It's not like she had been as bad as she used to be… yet. That was the operative word. Yet.

Before Zoe knew it she was woken by the sound of her ringtone. "Ugh she groaned" as she shoved the pillow over her head to ignore the phone. However, the phone didn't ring once but four times and whoever it was seemed persistent. She reached out her arm spending a couple of seconds trying to find the phone because she couldn't be bothered to look and when she found it she answered it. "Whatever it is call me back tomorrow when I'm at work, I'm trying to sleep." She growled. She wouldn't usually complain in such a way but she was feeling like… well… crap. Her jaw dropped and she was mortified to hear the deep voice of Guy Self on the other end of the phone.

After a long rant on the other end of the line from Guy Zoe hung up and immediately got herself out of bed. Within ten minutes she was ready to go and for Zoe this was a record. She hurried into her car, turned on the engine and within seconds she was off. That conversation with Guy had thrown her. Connie had complained over the lack of efficiency in the ED and wanted major changes, changes that Zoe was not prepared to make and now she was being dragged in on her day off to have conversations with various different members of her department for their honest opinions. Her job was at risk.

Guy wanted a report on his desk that evening of Connie's conclusions so she'd been told, meanwhile she'd been asked to interview her staff and get them to fill out an anonymous questionnaire on the running of the ward. But Zoe knew this was an uphill battle and knew this as soon as Connie had set foot into the ED.

Parking up at her usual spot proved impossible. Cheeky, on her day off Connie had parked in her space; the space that was reserved especially for clinical lead. This infuriated Zoe. She stormed out of her car, grabbing her bag on the way and clonked in her high heels towards the E.D. entrance.

Max was outside having a cigarette. Zoe didn't say hi. She didn't even pay attention or acknowledge his presence and even if she did she wouldn't have been in the mood. Max tried to catch her eye but his attempt was a fail.

Upon entering the E.D. she informed Louise and Noel that she wanted to have a word with the whole department and ordered one of them to go and get Max from outside; so she had noticed him. She went round to cubicles and asked everyone to gather round. She explained the situation in it's simplest terms: "an assessment of the ED will be carried out and I've got some forms in my office to hand out to you and they all need to be handed to Mr Self by the end of the day. I will also be having NHS meetings with a few of you," several eyes were raised at this point. The rumour had gone round over the NHS meetings that had existed in other departments of the hospital. "Har, har funny." Zoe commented. "I'm serious guys, this department is under real scrutiny so let's continue to do our jobs."

Although people were curious as to what the full situation was no one dared to ask Zoe although the reaction on Connie's face pretty much gave it away. They all hurried off except Charlie and Tess. Tess and Charlie, as Zoe's friends and senior members of staff on the ward were concerned over not only the state that she was in but the situation the department was in.

"Zoe do you want to talk about this?" Charlie asked her.

Zoe gave a slight nod, "my office." The both followed her as she led them to her office. Things had been difficult for Zoe ever since Guy had come into the picture. He'd demanded higher standards and just didn't believe that Zoe was capable of being that strong woman to leave them. Sure enough she's a strong woman but she wasn't a stickler for rules. She'd do her own thing.

"You're right." Zoe began once Tess had shut the door behind her. Zoe was addressing Charlie this time and it took him a couple of seconds to understand what was going on. To make things clearer to Tess she added, "Guy is breathing down my neck and I can't afford to make anymore mistakes."

Almost on cue there was a knock at the door and Rita came in. "Sorry to bother you but it's Max."


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't even care if this goes out of character because we still haven't seen enough of Max to judge and in last night's episode he seemed genuinely let down by Zoe being disappointed in him. On last night's episode wasn't it just spectacular?! **

* * *

Max slipped into Zoe's office his facial expressions were giving nothing away. He closed the door slowly behind him careful not to draw too much attention to the conversation, which he didn't want people listening in to. He wasn't sure what to expect from Zoe but as he turned around he saw her face. Livid. He knew then the prospects weren't good. It was difficult for him: sneaking around with his boss but not knowing where he stood. They were more than friends but they definitely weren't a relationship.

Zoe was wagging her finger at him and for a moment couldn't even get her words out. She was thinking about what she was going to say. "How dare you run off like that and endanger a patient's life."

"He wasn't a patient." Max said calmly as he spoke back to her like usual.

"Well no thanks to you he is now. Our job is to save lives and get people _out _of the hospital. I cannot have you going AWOHL. Especially not right now."

"But…" Max was trying to explain himself.

"Don't even try and give me an excuse. I've had Guy Self breathing down my neck for the past month and…" Zoe's voice started to break, she had to take a deep breath and contain herself. "And this was the last straw." Realising that she was confiding in Max over the situation Zoe stopped herself. "Get back to work."

She turned to go back to her chair and felt Max put his hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off immediately. "Don't" she commented as she shrugged his arm off and continued round. "You're just an imbecilic bloody porter what the heck was I thinking. Go and do your job Max." He shook his head at her, looked back and then left her in her office alone.

Zoe went to her desk and saw her paper littered everywhere. There was no way she was going to do that anymore. She glanced up at her clock as she sat down in her seat. Twenty minutes. There was only twenty minutes before her meeting with Guy Self and she already knew what he was going to say. She sighed. She was the architect of her own downfall despite being convinced that Connie was going to play little games. But Connie had played little games and consequently won when Zoe refused to play them. The reason being was that whatever happened whether Zoe played these games or not it wouldn't matter there was only ever going to be one outcome.

Zoe sunk back into her chair and put her head into her hands. Since the day that Connie had arrived there had been rumours. There had been an added pressure and deep down Zoe knew that she'd never originally been clinical lead material. This was the woman who turned up to work with hangovers. Heck, she'd turned up to work drunk before, she'd treated patients drunk before. She'd slept with a fifteen year old – she wished she could forget that one. So she wasn't exactly a Nick Jordan or a Harry Harper. When the going gets tough she never really had it together. In fact she was already deciding how she was going to drown her sorrows: in the pub. That summed it up for her.

Meanwhile Max was back out on the ward. He walked over to where many of the nurses and doctors where huddled including Rita, Tess, Cal and Robyn. They all turned round when noticing his presence and they knew that they were talking about his incident and what his punishment would be. He stood there for a moment not looking up, just staring blankly at the floor.

Robyn looked at him concerned, "Are you alright, you didn't lose your job did you?" She asked him.

"No I didn't," he muttered before walking off. Everyone had known that he was trying to help, a patient was refusing an emergency procedure unless her husband was present unfortunately the husband was in trouble with the police and mistook Max running after him as the police wanting a word and he ran right in front of a car. Max was in trouble for handling the situation poorly and leaving his job for nearly twenty minutes as well as endangering a life.

Max helped Dixie bring in the next patient into cubical and Fletch said to Max cheerfully, "Good to see you back with us." Max smiled up at him but it wasn't genuine.

Max was seriously concerned that he was responsible for Zoe's demotion. He was sure that was what she meant. She blamed him. He watched as Zoe emerged from her office. She looked professional as usual. In fact she looked her normal self even though deep down she felt anything but that. She was about to go to the other end of the hospital for her meeting with Guy.

He called after her in a slight whisper. He was close enough for her to hear, she walked by him and didn't notice him until he said her name, "Zoe". He had a pained expression on his face.

"Just get out my face Max." she was still annoyed at him unsurprisingly.

"Sorry." He said calmly.

"Bit late for that now." She said as she continued to walk on. Max didn't follow. He just shouted after her.

"So sack me." Everyone turned round to watch as they heard the words come out of his mouth. What would Zoe do?

"Don't be ridiculous." Zoe turned round to look at him. "I can't just sack you. Plus in," she looked down at her watch, "about five minutes I won't have that power."

"If it saves your job just do it." Now he was being ridiculous.

"Max this isn't about you and your guilty conscience or whatever." She said to him and walked off up the stairs towards Guy Self's office.

"Well that's a first." Charlie commented. "I've seen a lot of things but I've never seen someone ask to be sacked." Then he saw the look on Max's face. "Look I wouldn't take it to heart ever since Connie's arrival Zoe's had it tough it was only a matter of time before Connie got her way."

"But if I hadn't…"

"Then it would still have happened." Charlie cut him off.

Max wasn't convinced but after embarrassing himself in public he got on with his job quietly and by the end of his shift he was more of his usual self but no one had seen Zoe since her meeting with Guy.

Several of them went to the pub after work and after the day he'd had Max joined them. Arriving at the pub solved the mystery of where Zoe went and he nodded to them to indicate he was going over to speak to her. She felt his presence and commented.

"Look," she began but she wasn't allowed to finish her sentence.

"Sorry," he commented. "Can this imbecilic bloody porter buy you a drink?" He nodded towards her empty glass.

"No I'm sorry." She concluded. "It wasn't your fault you know." She smiled at him and he returned it.

The barman walked over to them and he asked her what she was having but she declared herself tired and got up to leave. She stroked his arm lightly before walking out of the pub. 'One day', he thought to himself. 'One day she will say yes.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter. Thought I'd spice things up a little. Play a riskier game. ;D Enjoy!**

* * *

A few weeks later and the ED was starting to get back into a regular rhythm. Well as much as it could with a changed leadership. Zoe still shared an office with Connie for now but she was no longer calling the shots. A lot had been changed already but so far they were only little things but it was only a matter of time before something big happened.

Although something big did happen between a porter and a senior consultant but still no one knew. Today for Max, it was a big day. After months and months of trying to get somewhere, he finally had. Zoe and Max were going on their first official date. A real date Max couldn't believe it. They'd been sneaking around for two weeks and he'd been trying to flirt with her for a lot longer and suddenly a breakthrough.

He saw Zoe pop out for a fag break a couple of minutes earlier and excused himself for 15 minutes or so and followed on. She was around the corner like she was the first time they'd met when he'd guessed she was a receptionist. How wrong was he?

"Give me a puff," he said cheekily. She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"You might as well stop asking because it's never going to happen."

"We'll see." He commented as he leant against the wall next to her. She gave him a cigarette and her lighter; she knew the drill now. He owed her about 50 but she wasn't too bothered about that secretly she liked these little moments and if he had a cigarette he had a reason to be out there.

"All ready for tonight?"

"Shush" she whispered to him, "people might actually hear you."

"So?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Aren't you fed up of all this sneaking around?"

She didn't reply directly but just commented, "Jac and Jonny managed it for a lot longer than two weeks."

"And look how that ended." Max pointed out. He wasn't part of the ED when the whole Jac and Jonny saga first came to light but he'd heard about it all. It was hard not to in this hospital as gossip spread rapidly.

"The answer is still no." Zoe replied even though Max had a point. They couldn't keep it hidden forever. But then again this wasn't going to last forever…

"Worth a try." He said.

"Do you just enjoy losing?" She smirked.

He looked here up and down with that look, "I wouldn't say I'm losing, would you?"

Zoe smirked as she stood on her cigarette and walked back into the ED. She struggled not to smile but she was pretty sure she managed it.

"Zoe have you seen Max?" Louise asked her.

"Yeah he's outside having a fag. Have you paged him?"

"Yes, ugh that man. Honestly it would not surprise me if he never planned on coming back to work."

As she said those words Max sauntered into to reception area beaming until he saw the frowns from Noel, Zoe and Louise. "Okay," he held his hands up, "who died?"

"This is a hospital you can't say that." Louise commented and Max rolled his eyes and walked off to cubicles where he was needed.

* * *

It was the end of the shift and Max was waiting for Zoe outside and she was ten minutes late. He didn't want to walk in and make it obvious but if he didn't go after her now then they'd miss the booking. He decided to risk it. He walked into the ED.

"Didn't you just go home?" Noel asked him suspiciously.

"I forgot something." He said. This wasn't exactly a lie. He had forgotten something but actually it was a someone. He burst through the ED doors and walked about the ward. He saw Zoe in resus working hard to save a patient's life. He stood there for a moment watching on and smiling. After several minutes she turned away and glanced towards him for the first time. She mumbled something to her colleagues and escaped from resus.

"I am so sorry, I couldn't just leave him."

"It's fine if we're quick we can still make it." He whispered in her ear. "I'll wait out front."

He left her to get changed and within five minutes she was out and dressed surprisingly for Zoe. The walked to her car rather hurriedly and every few second Zoe turned her head to see if anyone was watching, she was paranoid. Luckily no one did and they both got into the car in a relaxed state, Zoe because no one was watching and Max, well, because he was pretty much always relaxed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him biting her lip.

"You're not having second thoughts are you?" He asked her.

"No I was more worried about you spending a months wages in one night." She smirked and he returned it.

When they got there they pulled up into the parking space on the side of the road and both got out. They were lucky to get that space and it may come in handy later on that evening. They were shown to their seats and were given the wine list and menu.

"This feels weird." Max said. "But a nice weird."

"Just shut up." Zoe smiled at him.

"Zoe?" Max asked him and she looked up. "Is it possible that tonight is Cal's birthday meal?"

Zoe looked at him confused, "I wouldn't know I chucked the invite away as soon as I got it, why?" she chucked at the end.

"We might possibly have a teeny tiny issue." He commented with a grimace and nodded in the direction to his right.

Zoe turned her head. Sure enough half the ED were sitting down at the other end of the restaurant. "Shit." She commented. "We've got to get out of here."

"You have got to be joking me. It would be obvious if we tried to walk out now."

"It's okay we can do it, follow my lead."

"You try it and I'll call after you." He grinned.

"Try me," she knew he wasn't lying and sunk into her chair. She shoved the menu in her face so that no one around her could see just in case anyone looked round.

This was going to be a long evening.


	8. Chapter 8

**So here's the next chapter. Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I know the past few chapters have seemingly been quite rushed in Holby time and a lot has gone on so I'm gonna slow the next few chapters down a bit and there may or may not be quite a bit of fluff. **

* * *

Zoe and Max had managed a starter and most of their main course without being seen. Tucked in the corner of the restaurant had its positives. They would have lasted all evening if Zoe hadn't needed to go to the toilet. The others were on the other side right slap bang in the middle between toilets and the large glass window, which covered the front of the restaurant.

"Are you okay?" Max asked Zoe as he noticed her fidget. Zoe squirmed in her seat a little.

"We might have a slight problem."

Max turned his head round assuming someone had seen him and began to sink down into his seat slightly.

"Get up you idiot. Not like that. I need a wee okay."

"Oh," he said as his mouth formed an 'O' shape. He paused for a second, confused. "I don't get the issue."

Zoe rolled her eyes at him and continued to squirm in her seat. She put her knife next to her fork on her plate, positioning it at five O'clock to signify that she'd finished. Max had finished a while ago and had been talking to Zoe while she ate and as a consequence it had taken her double the amount of time.

"Just go to the toilet." He told her.

"And bump into that lot," she pointed ever so slightly at the table behind her without turning her head where she could hear the laughs of Robyn, Cal and many of the other ED staff, mainly women it had to be said.

"I see the issue."

"Finally." She commented.

"Okay what if I walk over there and fall over and then you just leg it in?" Max commented. He seemed pretty pleased with his suggestion considering it was on the spot.

"And you'd be willing to fall over for me and embarrass yourself?" Zoe asked him. The expression on his face said it all. "I thought not." She chuckled. "We're going to stick with my plan."

After a couple of seconds and prompting expressions Max spoke up, "now might be a good time to explain that plan."

Before Zoe had a chance to speak the waiter came over with the bill, which Max had asked for earlier and had taken away their plates. The longer this went on the more desperate Zoe was for the toilet but finally the waiter left and she was able to explain her plan.

"Right so," she grabbed her bag. Max looked on confused and waited until she pulled out her keys and chucked them to him. He caught them instinctively. "Nice catch." She commented with a smirk.

"Why have I got these?" He asked her.

"Right, you stay here, I'm going to walk by them and create a distraction. When they've noticed me you're going to leg it out of here and walk to the car and get in and wait for me."

"You're not going to keep me waiting are you?" He flirted.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "just let me wee."

Max raised his eyebrows as Zoe got up out of her seat and headed towards the toilets. He sat there anxiously trying not to make it obvious he was staring in case they glanced round. They all noticed Zoe a little too early and she managed to act surprised. Noticing that she was standing in the view of Max she shuffled forward a couple of inches so that she was now standing right outside the bathroom and with everyone wanting to hear her story on why she was here and not at Cal's party this gave Max the opportunity to leg it out.

Surprisingly he managed it but as soon as he was out of the door Zoe excused herself to rush to the toilet. This immediately meant that everyone turned back to their usual seating positions and thus some were facing the window. Unfortunately Zoe's car was parked further down the road meaning that Max had to walk right by the window and this time was a little more unlucky. He had been spotted. Busted. Bingo. Whatever you wanted to call it.

"Look who it is." Cal smirked as he got Robyn to slam her fist on the window to attract his attention. At first Max pretended not to hear but then he realised he couldn't ignore it forever and decided to respond. He'd known they were eating there and decided to give them a little wave but they furiously waved their hands at the window encouraging him to come back in. He contemplated walking down the road but they'd be able to see him getting into Zoe's car from where they were and so he walked back into the restaurant.

"I thought you had a date." Robyn commented as everyone turned to look at him expecting a response.

"I did."

"Did it not work out for ya?" Fletch asked him.

"Who said that?" Max asked.

"So where is she then?"

Max had no idea what to say. He'd no idea what he could say. He was walking down the road alone yet just decided to declare that he'd pulled. Luckily Zoe came out of the toilet in time for him not to have to give a reason just yet.

Zoe was shocked to see Max there and therefore her surprised reaction was natural. "Guess who's just had a successful date?" Robyn commented.

Zoe glared at Max and felt her cheeks burn up as she thought he'd let it slip but he commented. "Yes and she'd kill me if she saw me hanging around here, I said I'd be five minutes ten minutes ago and I still need to catch the bus."

"Do you ever plan on learning to drive?" Robyn asked him. "Typical." She rolled her eyes at her step-brother.

"Well if you want I could give you a lift." Zoe commented and surprised herself with how easily it flowed.

"Don't encourage it." Cal commented.

"I don't think you're one to talk." Zoe wagged her finger at him, and then 'focused' her attention back on Max. "So where you headed?"

"Richmond lane, it's by the old fire station." He commented.

"Yeah I know it. Well if you leave now I'll drop you off." She responded and he thanked her. They both said goodbye to the others and wished Cal a happy birthday before leaving the restaurant.

"Well that was close." Max commented.

"Shush." Zoe said but again Max could see she wasn't happy. When they got into her car Max tried to kiss her but as he leaned in she pushed his face away. "No."

"Okay what have I done?" He asked her.

"Why did Robyn suggest that all you do is date?" She asked him seriously.

"Why? Do you care?" He raised his eyebrows knowing too well that it bothered her.

"Just answer the question."

"Well I can't say that I'm going off to have a bunk up with you can I?" He thought she'd be impressed that he'd managed to lie for so long but she wasn't.

"A bunk up?"

"You know what I mean."

"Now I'm wondering whether I'm dating a kid or an adult." She commented as she switched on the engine.

"So we're dating?" He asked her with a grin.

She knew he had her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update. It's getting closer to my exams and teachers have been giving me more mocks! I would have updated earlier but I was watching the football! Enjoy!**

* * *

"I never pegged you as someone who sleeps with men on their first date." Max said as he smirked at a Zoe that was just stirring from her sleep. Their clothes were strewn across the floor and the sun was poking through the curtains. Max's phone alarm was growing louder and louder as Jason Mraz's voice filled the room.

Zoe murmured a little and her voice was quiet but not quite a whisper, "well I can be surprising." She smiled with her eyes still closed as she adjusted to waking up. She edged closer to him and he planted a kiss on her lips.

"Really?" He asked her rather impressed.

"No, everyone knows about that side of me apart from you." She commented with a smirk.

"Even Charlie?" He asked her as she opened her eyes and they both giggled. Zoe glanced back towards her phone, which was on her side of the bed. She knew that Max had set the alarm for six but she just wanted to check but sure enough, she was satisfied. They had plenty of time before either needed to be out of bed.

"So what else is there that everyone knows but me?" He asked her suspiciously.

"Nothing really." She commented dismissing the conversation.

"No, no, you're not getting away from it that easily."

"You're just going to have to find out some other way." She commented and turned her back on him. Her face now facing her clock and she closed her eyes to get the last few minutes of rest. Before dozing off she muttered a few words.

"You better get back so you can shower for work."

"Can I not shower here?" Max asked Zoe but she had already drifted off and he was left in silence.

Usually it would be Max who'd drift off back to sleep, who'd refuse to get out of bed until the last possible minute but not today. Max ignored her prompt for him to leave. He probably should have left, even though Robyn knew that he'd had a successful date she'd have expected him home to grab his stuff for work. He wasn't fussed.

This was the first time he'd been to Zoe's albeit when he had to drop her off home after her antics in the ED. He'd never looked round that time, she refused to let him past the front door of her house and he had no intention of taking advantage of her while she wasn't in the right frame of mind and since then it had never come up: the prospect of him going over to hers.

This wasn't how he'd intended to plan their first day but oh well. Now that they were dating did this mean he had to stop seeing the others? All the one-night stands had to stop? He wasn't really sure, he wasn't going to admit to Zoe that his only serious relationship was in high school and only lasted eight months. Eight months of cheating on each other… that was who he was. Now he'd have to try and not be that person.

He knew too well that Robyn would expect him to end it after a couple of dates. That's really as far as things went these days. He was just a guy who wanted some fun; he hadn't been ready to grow up yet. Did he like Zoe in that way? Probably not yet, but he'd got himself into this but to be fair they'd never really spent any time with each other which didn't involve flirting, even when at work. They'd never had serious conversations or even moderate discussions until yesterday they'd have classed each other as friends with benefits without the friends bit. Just benefits. Or were they friends? This was too much for Max to think about right now and neither was he particularly bothered at this moment in time.

He made the executive decision that he was going to make Zoe's life a lot more difficult and stick around. He got out of Zoe's double bed, glanced back for a moment watching her body go up and down as she inhaled and exhaled. He smiled, yes, he thought, there might be something there. Just maybe.

He exited the room and headed for the bathroom.

Within the next couple of minutes he had Zoe storming into the bathroom practically attempting to drag him out of the shower as not only had he woken her up but also she'd specifically told him to leave.

"Do you not listen to a word I say?" She said grabbing his ear and leading the stark naked Max out of the room with the shower still running.

"Are you mad?" He asked her. But she just glared at me.

"Alright I'll go." He said grabbing a towel and shoving it around him. He was freezing cold now and went back to turn off the shower. "If I'd kept quiet you'd never have know." He tried to reason but he knew he was wrong.

"Too late now." Zoe said as she checked her watch. She had about half an hour before she had to leave for work and there was no way Max could get home in time plus he'd already had his shower.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I'll drop you round the corner from work."

"More walking… just great." He complained.

"Well if you'd listened to me in the first place and gone home then we wouldn't have this issue."

"Well if you'd joined me in the shower…"

Zoe interrupted him. "Don't even finish that sentence." He didn't. He knew when to leave it and now considering he was relying on her giving him a lift to work he had to be relatively nice.

They were both ready on time, well Zoe just about and Max had been sitting around for twenty minutes complaining at the amount of time it took Zoe to get ready. She had already had a go at Max several times since over taking all the hot water and eating the last slice of bread. This only made her realise why she preferred being a single women.

Max soon changed this thought by responding to her in the only way he knew how: kissing her, and she couldn't help but smile. She'd get this fuzzy feeling that she was up to no good, that it was wrong in a way and this made it all the more fun and daring. Part of their relationship was based on the challenge and this they both thrived on.

"Do you think anyone would mind if we were ten minutes late?" Max grinned at Zoe. This wasn't a wise move as it only made her think about the time and forget about anything she planned on doing with Max…

Within seconds she'd successfully got Max into the car with her and they were on the way to work. True to her word Zoe dropped Max off a couple of streets away. She'd tried to drop him off a mile or so down the road but he'd refused to leave the car because walking that far was 'ridiculous', plus he managed to point out to her that it would make him late.

This only made Zoe think of one thing, how similar this was to another relationship that had taken place in the same hospital: that of a particular Scottish nurse and a cardiothoracic surgeon also known as the Ice Queen.


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sorry for all the mistakes that are in my work, I hate checking it over - bad I know - but this is only just some fun! **

**Many of you said you liked the Jac and Jonny references so there will be some of that coming up. I also have an Casualty/Holby crossover idea that I will hopefully get started on today or tomorrow!**

* * *

Zoe had been to her office and managed to sort out her paperwork for that before Max even arrived at the ED. She collected her papers that were spread loosely across her desk trying her best to neaten them up. To her that was sorting it out although she really needed to take an admin day but today was not it.

Despite losing her top dog spot to Connie she still wasn't on top of her admin, there were various patient letters she needed to send, meetings she had to attend and invitations she had to respond to. Luckily, as the other consultant she'd managed to hold onto her office space… for now. But it was only a matter of time really before even that went.

She grabbed one of the sheets from the pile and set it aside leaving the others in a big bundle. Zoe moved her bag off the table and onto her chair to mark her territory and to signify to Connie that she had made it in on time if she decided to make an appearance in their office any time soon. Now she took her coat off, something she would have done immediately on a normal day. But today she was behind schedule and was rushing to find the paperwork that Louise had asked for, for only the sixth time this week.

She grabbed her sheet of paper that she'd set aside, checked in the mirror one last time, and left her office behind to start another day at work. She nodded towards several members of staff as a way of saying 'good morning' on her way to the front desk.

When she got there she noticed Louise and Noel talking among themselves and looking in the direction of the ED. From where she was standing she couldn't see what they were looking at but soon lost her train of thought when she remembered the paper in her hand and plonked it on the desk in front of Louise. She didn't respond to this and was too busy engaging in what seemed a very interesting conversation, which Zoe couldn't help but listen in.

"Oh look he's laughing. That's a good sign." Noel commented.

"Number swapping, now this is getting serious," was Louise's reply.

Zoe glanced around to see whom they were on about and was shocked to see that Max was standing there talking to a blonde woman. She turned her head back to the other two just as quickly as she had turned her head in the first place and she zoned out and was brought back by Noel waving his hand in front of her face.

"I said, do you think he will get past the two date mark this time?" He asked Zoe.

She had a lump in a throat and could only reply with, "yeah, yeah."

By this point Max had sauntered towards them. There was no mention of this girl he'd just spoken to and he acted like it wasn't a big deal. Zoe told Max that he was needed in cubicles and he followed her through the double doors, but instead of heading towards the cubicles Zoe grabbed him by his collar into the nearest available store cupboard. Max was smirking as he thought he knew what she wanted with him but he was wrong.

"Couldn't keep away could you?" But when Zoe turned around he saw that she wasn't smiling, but neither was she angry, well it seemed that way.

"Did you get her number?" She asked him straight up. It was a stupid question because she heard it all through Louise and Noel's commentary but she just needs clarification.

"What?" He looked at her confused.

"That girl." Then he realised what she was on about.

"Yeah… Is that not allowed?"

"Not really, no."

"Oh,"

"Max how many dates have you been on?"

"Millions…" He said casually then realised that this probably wasn't the best thing to say to Zoe.

"With the same person?"

"Urm…"

This answered Zoe's question. "How many people do you date at once?" She phrased it another way.

"Is it interrogation Max day or something?" He asked her before pausing when she didn't respond. "I was only having a laugh, Noel and Louise dared me to. But I can see that you're jealous." He circled his finger in front of her face trying to make her crack.

"I am not jealous," Zoe protested, "we've only been on one date, that would be stupid."

"You and I both know that one date doesn't really cover it, do I need to remind you how many times we've had sex?"

"You count? Don't answer that" Zoe looked horrified and Max who was successfully managing to wind her up.

Without warning and with the intention of shutting Zoe up Max leant in and kissed her softly on the lips and Zoe responded. That was, until they heard shouting down the corridor outside. Within seconds the door handle was showing signs of movement and Zoe leant into Max's chest and he pulled her into him as they tried to take up as little room as possible behind the door.

The door opened slightly and the voices of Lofty and Robyn could be heard outside. Zoe and Max were trying to hold their breaths and failing epically. They watched as a hand crept round the door and headed for the shelf in front of them. It was feeling around for something and within thirty seconds the hand had retrieved what it wanted and the door was shut and once again Zoe and Max were alone.

They laughed silently at their lucky escape but inside Zoe's stomach was churning. They had almost gotten caught and they weren't even doing anything… not really. They could have been in a compromising position and then they'd have been screwed. This dangerous game was fun when they weren't getting caught but the chances were becoming increasingly high with each near escape.

Once again this reminded Zoe of _that _hospital couple. She will never forget the time Mo had come down to the ED on request of Hanssen. Well she said it was on request of Hanssen but Zoe remembered that day vividly mainly because something Zoe said freaked her out and now it had good reason to.

This was after the Jac and Jonny affair had stretched beyond the walls of Darwin, and thinking back now, it must have been February when they had the lovely Mo join them. That was it, February 2013. She'd told them all the stories that she'd collected during her 8 months of silence. The most disturbing being walking in on Jac and Jonny having sex in none other than the Darwin linen cupboard; something that she then scarred the whole ED with for the rest of their lives.

As Max tried to lean in for another kiss, Zoe pulled away. "I've got to get back to work." She said hurriedly and left the store cupboard. Not thinking it through Max followed on after her but watched her as she walked in the opposite direction to the ED and into the main body of the hospital. Where was she off to?


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry it has taken me so long to update I've had so much work to do with exams looming! Good luck to anyone who has exams in the upcoming months! Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Zoe hit send on her pager and sat down with her coffee in Pulses. Peach and quiet finally, no one from her side of the hospital would find her here. She was down with the likes of Darwin. She'd been in work for about twenty minutes and already she needed to escape – she was yet to get any work done.

Zoe thought about all the other people she could page to discuss the situation. She wouldn't dare go to Jac or Jonny. She'd only met Jonny a couple of times so it would seem a little odd and with Jac... Well that was a no go. Tess – well she was lovely and Zoe's best friend in the ED but she hadn't exactly taken kindly to finding out about her and Fletch so she thought it best not to mention it to her. This left just one person.

Zoe quite liked Mo, she was fun to be around and she'd often bump into her on her night off in pubs and they agreed to keep whatever went on quiet. Surprisingly Mo never split the beans on what actually happened but Zoe knew her well enough to know she's a gossip and consistently confides in Jonny. The last thing Zoe wanted was this Max situation getting public. She thought endlessly as she sat at pulses taking a sip of her drink about how much of a bad idea it would be in reality to speak to Mo. Obviously she wouldn't ever announce that it was her at the centre of the situation but it was risky.

She felt a figure walk up to her. "You paged me?" Mo asked her casually.

"Did I?" She glanced up taking a sip and looking rather innocently. "Must have pressed it by accident."

Mo looked at her unconvinced. "Nice one Zoe, already got a hectic schedule best be off!" And with that Mo had disappeared off towards the lift, where no less than a minute ago she'd just appeared.

She was going to get back to her thoughts when she heard the voice of a northern accent. Max. It seemed everyone was going to disturb her today… but then again she was the one that had called Mo. Max however, was the one she was trying to get away from.

"You're not easy to find you know." Zoe looked up at him as he smiled and sat down at the seat opposite her and placed his hands on the table. He looked at her expectantly.

"That was kind of the point." She gave him a fake grin as she got up from her seat.

"You've been gone a good ten minutes, any longer and the ED will send out a search party." He grinned towards her but her face displayed no emotion. She just seemed blank. "Have I done something?" He called towards her as she walked off towards the bin and chucked her empty cup away.

"No Max, I need to work." She said through a sigh. "And so do you."

Max had only been sitting down for a minute but after realising that Zoe wasn't staying put and being at the other end of the hospital he thought it was in his best interest to follow her back.

"Well it seems like you're avoiding me." He whispered in her ear as he brushed his arm against her shoulder.

"Now why would I do that?" She asked him.

"Why indeed." He questioned her. But she didn't reply.

Max was unsure as to why she was annoyed. Was it something he said? Or did? He'd often say the wrong thing without realising but usually someone was there to stop him stepping out of line, in fact it was usually Zoe who stopped him from stepping out of line. He thought back to when they were in the store cupboard together; that was the last time he'd seen her. Then it clicked. "You think we're going to get caught?"

"And you don't?" She said rather casually, almost as if her mind was elsewhere although they both knew she was focused on the conversation.

So he was right. "What's life without a little risk?" He grinned as he walked off towards the lift. His pager had gone off and he was needed in CT.

Zoe smiled as he walked away. That was a good point. Ever since she'd become Clinical Lead she'd become more professional, she'd lost her way for a while. She had lost what she stood for. She wasn't really interested in running the department she just wanted some fun. Everyone wanted that party Zoe back and even though it had been a few weeks since she'd lost her position that part of her still hadn't arrived, not in all its glory. She needed to find herself again now she didn't have the responsibility anymore. Her responsibility was to herself. She remembered the days when she'd have one night stands and little daring moment when she thought she was sleeping with a twenty-one-year-old later to find out he was fifteen. Zoe shuddered at the thought.

Nevertheless an opportunity had presented itself and it was up to her as to whether she'd take it or not. She had been given a chance to get her life back, to feel youthful and although Max was making her feel that way she was bored of hiding their relationship. No, there was no adrenaline rush anymore and this was a bad sign.

What she needed was a bigger risk. She needed to take a step further, the idea of getting caught scared her at first but it was also exciting, it was like a little game. How close could they get to being caught without actually getting there? How obvious can they make it without anyone suspecting a thing? This idea made Zoe beam. It made her excited. This was the old Zoe. This was what Max had been trying to get her to do for a very long time and it had taken her until now to give into his charm properly, but this was just as much for her pleasure as for his.

Max was about to discover the Zoe he'd only ever heard whispers about.

The big question however is, is Max worth risking?


	12. Chapter 12

**I hope this chapter is okay! **

* * *

Louise plonked two piles of patient notes on the front desk as Zoe walked by and shouted out to her. Zoe sighed and clonked towards the front desk in her high heels. She thought that was the last lot of patient files and she didn't see why she had to move them, other than the fact that these were all patients she had treated. They needed to be filing and surely this was Louise's job? Although Louise had been insistent and had even pulled out her job description leaving Zoe with no choice. She saw Max leaning over the front desk and chuckled at little at the obvious annoyance on Louise's face. 'Go Max' she thought, even though he had done it unintentionally.

"Max," Zoe grabbed his attention, "be a dear and grab this pile." She indicated to the pile of notes on her left as she placed her hands over the smaller pile.

"What's it worth?" He grinned trying to wind her up.

Zoe contemplated telling him she wasn't in the mood and refusing to play his games but then she remembered what she'd told herself earlier. "A drink after work."

"How about a drink and a pay rise?"

"For transporting a couple of files? You're having a laugh." She complained.

"Well if that's the way you want to play it…" He pretended to walk off in the opposite direction.

"Alright, alright, a drink and two fags." She bartered.

"Two drinks and a pack." He offered her.

Louise looked on very frustrated with the pair. "Just name the deal and get gone." She complained at the pair of them.

Zoe rolled her eyes at Louise's comment and unwilling to bother anymore agreed. She could easily afford this. She watched as Max grinned grabbing the bigger pile of files and then she grabbed the other leading the way through the double doors and into the main body of the ED.

Plonking the files onto the desk in the middle of the ED, Max decided to admit, "I would have done it for free."

Zoe, wanting to play him at his games, came up with an idea. After placing her files on the desk next to Max she 'accidentally' knocked one onto the floor.

"I'll get that for you," Max offered.

"No, no it's fine." Zoe smiled as she bent forward in her purple dress, hiding her face so that Max couldn't see even though he was facing the other way. She over did the bending down, lengthening it out by grabbing the file and dropping it again. She could feel Max's eyes on her bum although she couldn't be quite sure.

"Thanks for the help." She said as she swivelled round and put the file on top of one of the piles and glanced towards Max whose eyes were still on her bum.

"Max." She said to him but he didn't reply. "Max." She clicked her fingers in front of your face. "Stop looking at my bum."

"What?" Max asked her, "I haven't been looking anywhere." He protested innocently.

"And Guy Self is not the CEO." Rita chipped in.

Rita had been watching from the sidelines, unaware that Zoe's intentions were to spark this reaction although she wasn't surprised Max had acted that way. He seemed to like 'objectifying women' even though he would profusely deny this. She laughed silently at the way he behaved, he was way out his league with Zoe, but then again Max would eye anyone up. She continued on with her work duties leaving Zoe and Max.

"Problem?" Zoe grinned at Max, as she wandered off.

"I am so getting you back." He muttered under his breath.

* * *

It was Max's lunch break and he headed towards the staffroom so he could grab a cup of tea and get his hoodie from his locker. He made is cup of tea, took a sip and left it on the counter as he retrieved the key to his locker from his pocket also bringing out his phone in order to find the key.

He opened his locker leaving the key in the lock while he retrieved his bag. He placed it one of the stools so he had a better grip and began digging away. It made things a lot easier when he decided to take them out one by one, as although his hoodie was rather large is was shoved in at the bottom. Carefully he took out his shirt from last night; he smelt it and he could still smell the scent of _her _perfume. He placed it on the counter along with other things. Once reaching out and grabbing his last item, the hoodie, something dropped onto the floor. It must have been wrapped up in his hoodie.

'Shit' he thought to himself as he went down to pick it up. He was slightly mortified that in his hands was one of Zoe's thongs. Now it was going to look like he had some kind of obsession with her where he needed to keep some of her underwear… he smelt it… Used underwear.

Then he came up with an idea. He shoved the thong into his pocket, left his burning cup of tea to cool down, and exited the room. He headed down through the ED into a tiny room in the corner: the on call room. He laughed sneakily and placed them in the centre of the floor before giggling once more and leaving the room.

Walking down back towards the front desk he bumped into Rita again. "You're looking pleased with yourself." He just grinned and continued on walking.

* * *

It was the end of the shift and pretty much everyone was gathered in the staffroom as they all decided to go for a drink after work. Cal complained that he was doing a double and Henry, another ED doctor offered to takeover for a couple of hours while he got some sleep in the on-call room after running it by Connie.

It wasn't long until Cal came storming into the staffroom pinching a thong in his hands and raising the question, "which one of you lovely ladies to these belong to?"

Everyone glanced round the room, there were plenty of women to choose between: Zoe, Tess, Rita, Lily, Connie, Robyn, to name a few.

Max whispered into Zoe's ear, "recognise them yet?" She looked up at him confused and he winked at her. She glanced at the thong again and then it clicked…

"You did not do that." She said through gritted teeth. "This is war."

Everyone in the room was trying to decipher whom they belonged to. They were left with Connie and Zoe. They were certain it belonged to one of them.

"There is no way these are Zoe's." Cal commented.

"Oh I don't know you know what the rumours suggest." Max grinned.

"Yeah but they're not actually true are they?" He questioned them but it was more directed towards Zoe.

"Do you mind if we don't have this conversation?" Her cheeks were burning up.

"So the question is, who is he?" Charlie asked her.

"What?"

"So you're telling me you just wear thongs normally?" Zoe didn't reply.

"I must pay more attention to your arse in future then." Cal winked at her. Zoe glanced towards Max who wasn't looking impressed.

"Well that one backfired." Zoe muttered under her breath to him.

"Well at least people don't think I'm a slut." He grinned and Zoe stood there looking mortified.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the late update, there will be another one tomorrow and I will try and write some extra chapter ahead of time so I can upload them when I'm too busy to write.**

**To the person who said they're confused as to why I'm making Janny mentions when they don't do that in Casualty - that is the point. Jac and Jonny get mentioned on AAU and Keller but the ED never refers to them, ever. It's the same hospital and it's likely that everyone knows about Jac especially if they've been around for as long as Zoe so the point is to bring them up because in my opinion they should be referenced. **

**Anyway enjoy the chapter**

* * *

They'd all been at the pub for at least an hour and Zoe had spent exactly twenty-seven of those minutes at the bar with a man. Good looking, about six foot, dark hair, mid-thirties. Max knew how long they'd been chatting for as he kept glancing at his watch. He'd stayed with the others, had a pint. It was no surprise for them all to disperse after about an hour. Usually one of them would pull. In the past Max used to pull almost every time he was out but not recently. No one thought to question him, not after his date he had the other day.

Most of the time his focus was on the conversation everyone was having at the table; he did his best to ignore Zoe. Pretend he didn't care. He wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. She was just playing him, trying to get a reaction because that's what they'd do. He glanced round the room to see if there was anyone there he could use to get back at her. No such luck.

Zoe enjoyed this. She enjoyed it a lot. She felt Max gaze at her a lot and knew it was working. She was sure that at some point her colleagues – her friends – were discussing whether she was going to pull or not. This guy was interesting enough. Thirty-five – well that's what he claimed to be. A paediatrician apparently, so he said. Divorced, two kids, the usual. She didn't really pay attention to the conversation they were having. She probably sounded really boring. Forty odd, never married, no kids. It all didn't sound too good. She failed to mention that she had been engaged – twice. Previously mentioning that would follow an excuse and an exit. She wasn't sure why the small talk was even necessary. If she were attempting to pull she would be getting herself as drunk as possible and leaving without a murmur. Sometimes she'd give her real name but never her age. That was a big no-no. She was sure that even Max didn't know this. Or did he?

There she was thinking about Max again. They weren't even a real thing. Okay they'd been on a date and they were technically seeing each other but nothing was official. Thank God, was her only thought about this. But that didn't take away from the fact that she probably did actually like him. She just liked fun more at the moment and he was the perfect solution really, someone who would not just play her games but someone who'd create their own. Challenge her. So this is why she found herself in this situation. The challenge.

The paediatrician – Harry – he introduced himself as, offered to buy her another drink. She politely declined. She was feeling a little cramped. The pub stunk of alcohol and she suddenly felt like a cigarette. Well that's what she told him with a small smile. The words meant nothing but the smile said it all.

Max watched on as Zoe grabbed the hand of the man at the bar. He watched as he followed her out of the pub. He wasn't the only one watching. Everyone that had come to the pub watched as Zoe left with the paediatrician. The girls complaining that she was lucky and made a comment about him probably being the hottest person who worked in the hospital. This made Max feel better… not. Some said they'd predicted it and that Zoe always managed to pull when she wanted to. Jeff joked about her setting a bad example. Max however was quiet. He shifted his chair closer to the window and leaned back. He had a good view of Zoe.

Zoe let go of Harry's hand as soon as she left the pub. She leant against the wall outside, and despite it being April it was cold enough that when she breathed out she could see her breath. She shivered slightly wrapping her coat tighter around her and reached into her pocket and grabbed her cigarette packet.

"So…" Harry said as he leaned in to kiss her.

Zoe backed away. "Wooah what are you doing?" She questioned him. She lit up her cigarette and took a puff. She looked towards Harry who had remained silent. "Look I don't mean to be rude but this was just a way to get back at my boyfriend. He's sitting right in there." She pointed towards the pub. Had she really just said boyfriend she asked herself? Wasn't exactly true but it was the only real justification. She felt really bad as she glanced again towards Harry.

"You know I liked you." He said to her. "But I guess your reputation really does precede you." He commented as he left her smoking. Zoe sighed, she did feel bad. She chucked her cigarette on the floor and stood on it to ensure that it definitely wasn't going to light up again. She adjusted her hair and entered the pub again.

"Where did the bloke go?" Jeff asked her.

Zoe just smiled at him and sat down in the seat next to Max.

"So have fun did we?" Fletch asked her.

"More than you lot seem to have had."

"So you gonna see him again?" Fletch asked her.

"Who knows, who knows." She glanced towards Max.

"Please, please make us all feel better and tell us he was a rubbish kisser." Robyn begged.

"No can do." Zoe smirked.

"Liar, liar, liar" Max whispered to Zoe. "I saw you out there." His eyes twinkled as he smirked.

"I didn't know you took such a keen interest."

Max got up out of his chair, "Well," he said as he took one last swig of his beer and placed it on the table. "This, Zoe, is how you pull." He said with a smirk as everyone watched as he headed towards the bar where there was a gorgeous blonde sitting alone.

"Hey" He said to her. He caught her attention. She looked him up and down and smiled. She glanced towards where he'd come from and saw the large crowd of people.

"If I buy you a drink can you do me a massive favour?" She narrowed her eyes and asked him what it would include. He didn't ask for much and she agreed as long as he paid for her next two rounds of drinks, which he agreed. He ordered himself another beer and her a glass of wine.

"Can you just pretend I've said something funny?" He grinned towards her.

She looked past him. "Does it have anything to do with the bird on the end who hasn't taken her eyes off of you?" He nodded. "She's the one from the ED?" He again nodded. "Then I'm in," she agreed. She never explained what the reason behind it was but he didn't care.

On cue she laughed tilting her head back and putting her hand on his chest as she did so. Perfect, he thought to himself. She should be an actress; she was that good at fake laughing. That – or he was just awful at lying and therefore everyone else just seemed good to him.

He stood up to leave and she got a pen and pretended to write down her number for him. Her handwriting was neat and tidy. Any other day and Max would be pulling her for real but his agenda had changed recently and actually he was finding this a lot more fun. She handed him the note when she'd finished writing and kissed him on the cheek before whispering in his ear.

"Read the note."

He grinned as he headed back to the table. "That, my friends is how it's done." He checked his watch. "I calculate three minutes and twenty nine seconds."

As he sat down he opened the note and read it and looked up at Zoe. He discreetly placed it into Zoe's hand. She glanced down at the note.

"Honestly Dr Hanna," he whispered to her. "I'm starting to think you're worse than me." He grinned. She rolled her eyes. She was not going to let him get to her.

"I'm off he announced suddenly," as he grabbed his coat and shoved it round him.

He whispered in Zoe's ear before leaving, "you coming?" before leaving.

"I should probably get going too, got a long day tomorrow." Zoe commented and she followed Max out.

If anyone knew what they'd been doing they'd be horrified. Not because he was a porter and she was a consultant but because of all the mind games they played with each other. But this was what it was between them – for now. And this worked.

Unfortunately for Zoe of all the men she'd slept with since living in Holby around 90% worked in the hospital. To be fair to her she'd never 'cheated' on Max even though they weren't an official and she was nowhere near as bad as he made out but that was the point. He enjoyed winding her up.

But all these Max thoughts had grabbed her attention and she'd forgotten what was happening tomorrow…


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter is basically a load of speech but oh well. I originally wasn't going to go down this route the way I have but I think this might work better than my original plan.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"Out of your long list of men you've slept with I'm the best right?" Max asked her cheekily as he planted a kiss on the lips. He smirked at her.

"Well…" she said pretending to think it over but was clearly joking with him.

"You shouldn't have said that. He dived towards her and before she knew what he was going to do he had her straddled and pinned down and began tickling her. There was no escape now. Gasping between breaths, Zoe attempted to utter words telling him to stop but it took a while for anything to come out.

"Max… please." She managed to splutter.

Her phone began to ring but Max continued. "I… need…get… that," was all she could utter.

Finally she escaped Max as he gave in to her. She saw the caller ID and swore. "Shit." She commented. "Shit Max what's the date?"

He glanced down at his phone, which was on her bedside table. "27th April… why?"

"Shit, shit, shit." Zoe picked up the phone from her bedside table. She swept her free hand through her hair displaying a sign of stress. Then she picked up the call. Her tone suddenly changed and her voice sounded rather jolly.

"Of course that's fine… don't be silly… no problem at all. I will see you soon alright…? Bye!" It was a very quick call that left Max intrigued.

Zoe leapt out of bed and shoved a shirt on. "You have got to get out of here." She picked up Max's shirt from her side of the bed and chucked it him. He caught it and pulled it over his head.

"What's the rush? Got another guy lined up?" He joked with her. She didn't laugh.

"I completely forgot I've got a mate coming over." She said hurriedly as she tried to pull her skirt up.

"So?" He commented. Brushing off her excuse.

"She used to work in the ED and she said she'd be here in five minutes. So much for motorway traffic."

Max nodded his head in understanding as he hurried about her room, flipping her duvet cover up in search of that last sock. Zoe ran downstairs to the kitchen collecting up some of his other bits and bobs and ran back upstairs packing into his rucksack.

"Max your hair is a mess you can't leave it like that." He bent his head forward and she ruffled his head bringing back the shape that was usually seen in it. He had one last quick search of the bedroom – finding Zoe's stash of chocolate and taking a piece – before leaving it. However, as they both got to the top of the stairs the doorbell rang.

"Shit Max." Zoe commented.

"Your language today…"

"Don't even finish that sentence." She commented. She was not in the mood. "Okay you stay up here and when I give you the go ahead make a run for it. " After seeing a smile creep on his face. "Sensibly."

As if I'd miss behave." He grinned.

She rolled her eyes back, "you know what I mean."

The doorbell rang another few times and she hurried down her stairs. She checked her hair in the mirror and her make-up-less face. She quickly glanced at her watch and noticed that it was early enough for her to get away with not being ready. In fairness she wasn't due until lunch. So when satisfied Zoe opened the door and Linda flung herself into her arms. Yes, Linda was back for a couple of days.

"Just going to the toilet," Linda said as she pulled out of the hug from Zoe.

"Hello Zoe nice to see you how are you? I'm good thanks Linda how are you?" Zoe mimicked as she watched Linda go to the toilet. Zoe took this opportunity to run upstairs and check that Max hadn't ransacked the place – he hadn't.

"You owe me for this." He smirked. "And I do believe you already owe me two drinks."

"Are you really reminding me this now?" He didn't half pick his moments. "I better go." She said as she started climbing down the stairs.

"Wait, wait," he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. "Yes and I'm beginning to think you like it more than you like me." She whispered.

"Don't be daft." He pulled her even closer. "Ew your breath smells." He whispered as he pulled away.

"Unbelievable." Zoe walked back downstairs rather casually and looked back up to see Max leaning over the banister at the top of the stairs waiting to make a quick exit.

As Zoe reached the bottom of the stairs, Linda left the toilet at almost perfect timing.

"Zoe why are there two toothbrushes in your bathroom."

'Shit' she thought. Max had forgotten to take his. "Ur, well Sharice came to stay a few weeks ago."

"Mmm." Linda commented unconvinced.

"Right you go into the living room and I'll make you a cuppa." Zoe said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Sounds good to me." Linda replied with her Liverpudlian accent and waltzed off into the living room and sitting herself down on the sofa by the window. She grabbed hold one of the photo albums, which remained on the coffee table and started looking through.

Meanwhile, the provided an escape for Max as Zoe gestured with her hand and Max hurried down the stairs almost tripping over on his way down causing Zoe to chuckle a little. Halfway down she opened the door for him but he stopped when he got to it. Turning back and giving her a kiss."

When he left she shut the door behind him and leant against it for a minute. Linda upon hearing the door go pushed back the closed front curtain and saw a glimpse of the back of a man leaving her house and she grinned.

"Who is he?" She asked Zoe when she eventually came into the room.

"Oh just some guy who got the wrong house." Zoe brushed the comment aside.

"He didn't ring the door bell." Linda observed.

"Sorry, what?" Zoe asked her presuming she'd missed the point.

"He didn't ring the door bell so how did you know he was there?"

"Er… well… he knocked?" She didn't sound sure of herself.

"Yeah, yeah." Linda said brushing it all aside.

"Listen, I need to pop into work this morning, that isn't a problem is it?" She asked her seriously. "It's just I didn't think you'd be here until lunch."

"Sure no problem. It will give me a chance to say hi to everyone." She grinned. "And even check out that cute porter you mentioned."

"If you dare tell him." Zoe wagged her finger at Linda.

"My lips are sealed." She grinned and Zoe was satisfied. "Anyway, why would I do that when I may want him for myself." She grinned.

And here lay the next problem for both Zoe and Max…


	15. Chapter 15

**Next chapter, I've had a little bit of writer's block but I think I know where I'm going with it now. Probably not my wisest move to bring Linda into this but it's done!**

**I've changed the course a little bit but we're getting there now! Heading towards the end of my first Zax fanfic!**

* * *

"Why did I agree to this?" Zoe asked Linda as she downed her third vodka shot. They were in their third bar for the night and the clock had just struck midnight. Linda had persuaded Zoe to go on yet another wild night out. Zoe had been reluctant at first but Linda was never going to give in and what could she really expect from it all.

"Come on, I'll show you a good time." Linda shouted so that Zoe could hear her over the music. She grabbed Zoe's arm and yanked her towards the crowd and started dancing around. Zoe looked around her and she felt like she was surrounded by a bunch of people at least ten years younger and felt that she was too old for this. Her fears were confirmed when she found a face she recognised.

"So you came." Max shouted at her.

"Please, I didn't get a choice." Zoe didn't seem at all that surprised to see Max, not like he was to see her. He'd sent her a text message earlier on in the evening telling her where he'd be in case she happened to walk into the same bar. "Anyway shouldn't you be with all your mates?"

Max glanced back towards a group of women surrounded by men and Zoe followed his gaze. "I think they have other plans." He grinned back at her. "What about your mate?"

Zoe searched round the place and saw Linda dancing in the centre to her heart's content. "She's fine."

"Well in that case you can buy me a drink, or two." Max winked at her. "You owe me remember." Zoe groaned a little in response but in reality she was quite happy to buy Max a drink as her mood had suddenly lifted after spotting his familiar face. He made her feel slightly relaxed and seeing as Linda wasn't around when Max joined the ED she'd have no idea who he is so Zoe could easily spend time with him without Linda suspecting a thing. What a perfect plan. Together they walked over to the bar again, shoving past a group of people, both of them slightly tipsy but nowhere near getting drunk yet. Max ordered the drinks and Zoe paid, oh wasn't he such a gent.

For the next half hour they drank, laughed, talked, drank some more. It wasn't until Zoe popped her head round the club that she realised things might have gotten a little out of hand. "Shit." She shouted, which grabbed Max's attention away form her and looking round the room.

"Your friend seems to be having a good time." He commented. Linda was completely out of it, completely off her head drunk, dancing round like God knows. Max helped Zoe grab hold of Linda and pull her away from the crowd. Max signalled to his friends that he was off and spent a couple of minutes discussing something with them before Linda and Zoe emerged from the toilets which they'd momentarily disappeared off to.

The three of them left the club and stood on the edge of the pavement for about five minutes attempting to flag down a taxi. One, two, three, four, passed them. After fifteen Max lost count. Friday nights were always busy but eventually an empty taxi arrived and they helped Linda in first who was desperately refusing. Zoe barked her address and the taxi drove off.

The drive back was awkward as Linda, in her drunken state, kept coming onto Max. Several times Max had to removed her hands from him, and several times Zoe had to try and calm Linda down, but her drunken state would die down soon enough and all that will be left would be a splitting headache. When they arrived back Zoe opened her door and let them in, Linda ran upstairs and dived onto the bed in Zoe's spare room leaving Max and Zoe alone downstairs.

"Thanks for the help," She smiled at him and he nodded in reply. "Shit, I forgot to hold the Taxi for you." She put her hand over her mouth as if to feign failure. She glanced down at her watch and claimed that it would be too late for him to catch a bus, she was in no state to drive and by the time another taxi would arrive it would be gone two.

"I may as well just stay here then." He grinned at her. She rolled her eyes but knew that this was what she'd anticipated ever since she'd set foot into the cab. She knew she was safe with Max, well she felt she was for now and seeing as Linda knew nothing about who he was then it was fine. She was going home the next afternoon anyway and Zoe would keep her away from the ED so there was no reason for her to find out who he really was any time soon.

Within minutes both were upstairs in Zoe's bedroom in bed. It was about twenty minutes later that the house was completely silent and everyone was asleep. Given it was two in the morning this was hardly surprising but at least one of them would wake up the next day with a headache and a feeling of total utter shit.

There were some things that Zoe hadn't thought through exactly in regards to letting Max stay over. Firstly, Max's toothbrush still remained in Zoe's bathroom and secondly she'd forgotten that although Max was relatively new to the ED his sister was not and not only was his sister Robyn, the biggest gossiper, but there was more. Since Linda had gone, Robyn had gotten pretty close to her and before Linda was to leave the next afternoon she was going for a coffee with Robyn on her day off. If, or when Zoe remembered this it would be a tall order in hiding it all now.


	16. Chapter 16

**There is probably going to be about 4 or so more chapters left of this! Enjoy!**

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So Zoe and Max had talked through their plan when they both sat there lying awake at 5am as they heard a car alarm going off in the wee hours of the morning. Eventually they'd both fallen asleep again and now, at eight Max was downstairs in Zoe's kitchen making them a cup of tea, well a tea for him and a coffee for her. They assumed that they'd be safe because Linda was never one for getting up early and when she did she'd have a massive hangover and was unlikely to even want to get up.

However, Linda did wake up, only shortly after Max went downstairs to make the morning drinks. But because Linda's hangover left her with such a throbbing headache, and after hearing mugs being moved and cupboard doors being opened downstairs she gathered that Zoe would be up and got out of bed. She rubbed her eyes and groggily walked out of the spare bedroom remembering nothing of the previous night. This meant that when she saw Max in the kitchen she was a little freaked out, and stopped in her tracks assuming that Zoe had pulled and walked in with a feigned grin on her face pretending that everything was alright, after all he was very good looking.

Max looked towards the door when he no longer heard the footsteps of someone walking down the stairs and saw Linda in her dressing gown, half awake walk into the room. "Feeling any better?" He asked her with a grin.

"And you are?" She asked him. She might as well, she had no clue who this man was and she probably should have been a little more freaked out than she was. Had she seen him before?

"Too drunk to remember?" He grinned even more.

Linda shook her head a little and then remembered she had a pounding headache and brought her hand up to her forehead. "I didn't did I?" She accidentally spoke out loud her thoughts.

"What?" Max asked her as he began stirring his cup of tea. He glanced back to Linda and saw her face before adding, "oh God no." He dropped the spoon into the mug and offered his hand out to Linda. "I'm Max, I work with Zoe. I helped her get you home last night." He raised his eyebrows.

"Thanks." She muttered. "Painkillers?" She asked him rather weakly. She probably should have formulated an actual question rather than blurting out the word but he understood what she meant and began searching through all the cupboards trying to find what he was looking for and he eventually found it. She thanked him again as he handed them over to her and filled up a glass of water. The her face looked confused, "hang on, why are you still here?" She asked him curiously as she noticed he was all dressed in clothes that were creased and had bed hair.

"It was two in the morning, Zoe had had too much alcohol to drive me back so I slept on the sofa." He lied.

"So you work at the ED?" He nodded. "So you know Robyn then? Robyn Miller?"

"I should hope so she's my sister." He grinned.

"No way you're Max the porter?" He nodded.

"The one and only." He swivelled back round to face the drinks. "You don't want one do you?" She shook her head. "Just going to take Zoe up her drink. Won't be a second."

Max started taking up Zoe's coffee but spilt a bit on the way up, "shit," he muttered as he carried on walking. He opened Zoe's door and walked in. The light was on and she was awake. She smiled at him as he walked in and round to her side of the bed so he could give her, her coffee.

"Did you not make yourself one?" She asked him curiously.

"I did but Linda's downstairs so I have to go before I say anything stupid. Anyway unlike some people I actually have work today." He gave her a kiss and started walking out of the room.

"Max," Zoe said as she leapt out of bed and followed him downstairs as she grabbed her dressing gown so that she had more than just tiny pyjamas on. "Max," she said in a rather loud whisper but it was too late as he'd already gone back downstairs.

He entered the toilet before leaving and Zoe walked into the kitchen and saw the state Linda was in. "How much do you remember?" She asked her with a little laugh.

"Funny," she commented and Zoe started trying to trigger her memory as she mentioned everything she could remember seeing Linda do.

Max who came out of the toilet holding a toothbrush eventually interrupted them, "I thought I'd lost this." He sounded relieved. Zoe put her hand to her head and now realised why Max was so keen to leave.

"Oh my God," Linda suddenly said seemingly forgetting she ever had a hangover. "The toothbrush," she put her hand to her mouth and watched as Zoe refused to look around and Max realised what he had said.

"Right I'm off," he said quickly as he grabbed his coat and left the house. Zoe still hadn't said anything or even acknowledged the fact that he had left.

"You not going to say goodbye to your boyfriend?" Linda asked her teasingly.

"Max is not my boyfriend," Zoe was adamant to deny this to Linda.

"Just someone you slept with?" Zoe feigned innocence.

"Oh God Zoe, how many times?" When Zoe didn't respond Linda added, "he's your bloody porter, fit as well, but that's not the point."

"I know, I know, I'm a mess. It's not like I'm his boss or anything."

"Oh my God you slept with him when you were Clinical Lead didn't you?" Linda asked. "You bad girl." Linda playfully hit her. "So him turning up last night was a coincidence?" Linda asked.

"Just don't tell anyone." Zoe begged.

"What's it worth?"

"Linda." Zoe was putting on her strict tone now.

"Okay I'll shut up and not tell anyone if you admit he's your boyfriend."

"That's not happening."

"Okay if you can tell me how many times you slept with him then I we call it truce." Linda smirked. She knew that Zoe wouldn't be able to do this. Zoe remained quiet again. "You are unbelievable." She grinned.

"Leave it Linda," Zoe held up her hands in surrender.

"So who knows?"

"No one okay it's not even anything." Zoe confirmed.

"So Max would agree would he? Oooh. What would Robyn make of this?"

"Don't you dare," Zoe wagged her finger in front of Linda's face.

"Alright, I won't tell her." Linda agreed with a smile. She wouldn't tell Robyn but it doesn't mean she could drop massive hints. Robyn didn't need to find out today, Linda could set her on the right track. She knew that Zoe sucked when it came to relationship and that nothing good could come of keeping a relationship hidden forever.


	17. Chapter 17

**Got the doughnut idea from last night's Casualty, which was just fab. I've adapted it a little bit. I also got the bet idea from last night's Casualty. **

**Don't worry I haven't abandoned Linda, that will come again later!**

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"Unless you want coffee down you then move out of the way." Max spoke loudly to a group of nurses who crowded round the door blocking the entrance to the ED. The all moved aside swiftly as he came through slamming his back against the door and pushing it open before walking through and letting it swing back hitting one of the nurses in the face. He chuckled a little knowing it would cause little damage. He would have been more careful had he not had a coffee in each hand and a doughnut under his arm.

Zoe was standing in the middle of the ED as he handed her one of the coffees smiling and muttering about the length of the queue at pulses, which had prevented him from being any quicker but Zoe clearly didn't hear him as she responded only directly to the fact that he'd given her a coffee, "you're a lifesaver." She beamed as she took her first sip of her coffee. "Now to go and save some patients' lives." She rolled her eyes as she said this and placed her coffee on the table and rubbed her hands together before picking up her first file. This meant her first patient for the day.

"I think you forgot something," Max grinned as he placed his own coffee on the side so that he could remove the paper bag from under his arm and he unwrapped it bringing out a doughnut and shoving it in Zoe's mouth with a grin. She nodded in appreciation before scowling at the timing and Max just grinned as he watched her stumble into her office to sort herself out. This wasn't until Fletch stopped her and questioned her as to where she got her doughnuts from, and unable to speak she nodded towards where Max was standing, who by now was also eating his own doughnut.

"Give us one," Fletch begged as he held out his hands expectantly.

"Does it look like I have anymore?" Max raised his eyebrows.

"So why does Zoe get one?"

"Because I'm her favourite." He grinned.

"That is so not true." Fletch denied. "Hey Cal," he called over, "Max thinks that he's Zoe's favourite."

"No chance." Cal commented as he made his way over to whether the other two were standing. "I'm willing to bet on it." He said light heartedly.

"So am I," Max grinned.

"Alright then, put your money where your mouth is. A tenner says I'm her favourite." Cal grinned.

"Wait, Fletch commented, "how are we going to prove it?"

"Oi Rita, Robyn, we need your help." Max called over to them, they both glanced at each other wondering what the boys were up to but decided they were willing to listen. It was lucky they were because they were fed up of the bets that they kept making, they were always the judges and it wasn't very fun for them.

"If it's another of your bets we're out." Rita commented for the pair of them.

"But this is a really good one, and you can actually get involved this time." Max grinned along with Fletch and Cal who were using it as their way of begging. It worked.

"Go on then, we will hear you out."

"Max believes that he is Zoe's favourite."

"Well he would," Rita chipped in midway through Fletch's explanation and Fletch gave her a look for interrupting. "Sorry, sorry, carry on."

"We need you to decide who is Zoe's favourite."

"Believe me if you were Zoe's favourite she would have slept with you by now." They all nodded in agreement, "but if we're going to do this, we're going to do this properly." Rita commented with a little grin.

"What do you mean?"

"Fletch just to clarify are you or are you not single?" Robyn asked him.

"Robyn you can't just as him that." Rita looked at her a little annoyed.

"It's fine, Nat and I are still very much separated."

There was an awkward silence before Fletch commented that he was fine and that he'd rather not dwell on the past, after all they had been separated for a fair few months ago now and their marriage was over well before that.

"So we're on?" Cal asked.

Everyone agreed. Rita and Robyn liked this idea as they got to get the boys into trouble without getting involved themselves. Their only involvement was suggesting the ideas; they were the ones willing to carry them out.

"Okay Max, you're up first." He nodded in agreement and Cal continued, "when Zoe is looking you have to kiss Rita, if she reacts or watches you get a point if not you don't." Max nodded. It seemed fair.

"Wait, I thought we were making up the challenges." Robyn complained.

"We're just getting the ball rolling."

They were so busy engaging in conversation that they didn't notice Zoe emerge from her office. "What are you lot up to?" She asked them and they all tried their best to act casually, some doing a better job than others.

"We were just discussing a patient and his best cause of treatment."

"And that required four of you?" Zoe rolled her eyes.

They were all hinting towards Max to try it now but Zoe had turned away so Cal called her back to 'take a look at an X-Ray' providing Max with the perfect opportunity. Rita was expecting Max to plant a kiss on her cheek but he went for the lips and Cal and Fletch watched Zoe as she looked up from the X-Ray with her eyes fully focussed on Max, her mouth wide open but she didn't say anything. Cal had to divert her attention back to the X-Ray and Zoe decided to excuse herself.

"And that's a point to me." Max grinned as he began dancing about, forgetting that Zoe was still in the area, and watching him and they all watched her roll her eyes at him and move on.

"And that's the point lost." Fletch grinned and Max sulked. "You so almost had it."

"You know," Rita began, "I'm not sure this is the best idea." She said slyly.

"What you thinking?" Cal asked her.

"It's hard to determine a winner this way. I've got a better plan."

"Listening." They all said independently.

"The first person to get a kiss out of Zoe wins and a peck doesn't count."

They all nodded, impressed, especially Max who loved this idea knowing that he got one over everyone, not that they'd know.

"Wait," Fletch stopped for a second. "How do we prove it?"

"Just as long as it doesn't happen in her office I think you're pretty safe." Robyn grinned.

Oh the day was a lot more fun for everyone involved as they dispersed to get on with the jobs. The three boys had a challenge to complete, not only to get a kiss off Zoe but to get it publicly, the girls, well they just had to sit and wait.


End file.
